NSW Landlord Rights and Responsibilities: What You Need to Know in 2025

Understanding your rights and responsibilities as a landlord in New South Wales is essential for protecting your investment and maintaining positive relationships with your tenants. The Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) governs most residential tenancy agreements in the state. ## Your Key Responsibilities as a Landlord As a landlord in NSW, you are legally required to provide the property in a reasonable state of cleanliness at the start of the tenancy, maintain the property in a reasonable state of repair throughout the tenancy, ensure all locks and security devices are in good working order, provide the tenant with a copy of the lease agreement and a condition report, and lodge the bond with NSW Fair Trading within 10 business days. ## Maintenance and Repairs One of the most important obligations is maintaining the property. Urgent repairs — such as burst water services, gas leaks, or serious roof damage — must be attended to immediately. Non-urgent repairs must be completed within a reasonable timeframe, generally considered to be 14 days. Failure to maintain the property can result in tenants applying to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) for orders requiring repairs to be completed, or in serious cases, a reduction in rent. ## Entry to the Property You cannot enter a rental property without proper notice. In most circumstances, you must provide at least 24 hours written notice before entering, and entry must occur at a reasonable time. There are limited exceptions for emergencies. ## Rent Increases Rent can only be increased once every 12 months for fixed-term agreements of two years or more, or for periodic agreements. You must provide at least 60 days written notice of a rent increase. ## Ending a Tenancy The rules for ending a tenancy depend on whether the agreement is fixed-term or periodic. For periodic agreements, you must generally provide 90 days notice without grounds. For fixed-term agreements, you can only end the tenancy early in specific circumstances. ## How a Professional Property Manager Helps Navigating NSW tenancy law can be complex. A professional property manager stays up to date with legislative changes, ensures all documentation is compliant, handles communications with tenants professionally, and represents your interests at NCAT if disputes arise. The New Vision Real Estate property management team has extensive experience with NSW tenancy law and can ensure your investment is managed in full compliance. Contact us on 02 9160 6475 for a free consultation.